Ladder



Patented Apr. 20, 1943 LADDER Donald De Luca, Glendale, Calif., assgnor to David S. Garber, Van Nuys, Calif., as trustee Application December 3, 1940, Serial No. 368,326

l Cla-im.

This invention relates to ladders, and more particularly to a ladder of thetype 'generally classiiied as a stepladder which includes two sections hingedly connected together and adjusted to be spread apart so as to be self-supporting.

It is an object of this invention to produce a hinge and supporting structure adapted to connect the two sections of a ladder of the selfsupporting type, and which permits the two sections to be spread apart and definitely stopped in their spreading movement.

Another object of this invention is to provide anew and improved form of hinged structure for a stepladder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved form for a hinged structure adapted to connect the sections of the stepladder and which hinged structure includes plate members adapted to be secured to the side members of the ladder sections providing a pair of overlying disc members pivotally connected by an integral boss structure and held in assembled relation by the side members independently of additional securing mean's between the said disc sections.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stepladder hinge construction including integral bracket members adapted to be secured along the length of the side members of the ladder and providing a hinge connection between the ladder sections and one of which bracket members provides an integral top plate support :for the top plate or step of the ladder.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stepladder having hinge means embodying my invention incorporated therein.

Figure 2 is a fragmental side elevation of said stepladder illustrating the hinge means of my invention on a larger scale, and illustrating the ladder fragments spread apart to self-supporting position.

Figure 3 is a side elevation similar to Figure 2 illustrating the two ladder sections as moved together or to collapsed position.

Figure- 4 is a sectional end View taken substantially on the line 4-4 0f Figure 2- Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing,v I indicates a forward ladder section and 2 a rearward ladder section, each of which is composed of a pair of side pieces 3 and runners or steps 4 secured in position between the side pieces Iin any suitable or desirable manner as is well understood in the art. In this specific illus, tration of my invention the steps 4 are positioned so that their forward edges 5 are flush with the forward or outer edges 6 of the side pieces 3.

In order to provide the desired step widths, the steps 4 are projected beyond the inner or rear edges 'I of the side pieces 3. This is particularly an advantageous construction in stepladders which are handled on trucks or the like, or where they are slid to and from position, because the edges 5 are protected from being splintered or 'broken during the sliding operation. As, however, the steps are projected at their rear edges, they may be of any desired width required for accommodating the feet of the user, and where my particular type of hinge structure is employed, the rear or inner edges I of the side -piece 3 are held spaced apart in order to accommodate the rearwardly projecting edges of the steps or runners 4.

The hinge structure embodying my invention includes for each hinge connecting the side members 3 upon the opposite sides of the ladder, a pair of castings 8 and 9. Castings 8 are formed to provide an elongated strap section I0 and an integral disc Il at the upper end of the strap section I0. The integral disc II is formed cut away in an arcuate stop section I2 to provide spaced hinged stops I3 and I4. The center of the disc section II is provided with an enlarged bearing bore I5. The casting 9 is also Iformed with an elongated strap section I6, with a disc section I'I, and a top plate supporting foot I8, to which the stop step or plate I9 is secured.

The disc section I1 is cast with an integral bearing boss 20 which closely fits into the bearing bore I5 of the plate Il. The pivot between the castings 8 and 9 is thus provided directly between the boss 20 and the disc II and is not formed by or around an inserted bolt or fastening member. The disc II is also provided with an arcuate stop section 2| of lesser length than the arcuate cut-out I2 of the disc II.

The ends of the arcuate stop 2l form the limit stops 22 and 23 which cooperate with the stops I3 and I4 to define the limit of spread and collapse of the ladder sections I and 2. A bolt 24 is passed through the boss 20 and is provided with a fastening washer 25 which engages the outer face of the disc Il and is held in position by means of a nut 26 forming an additional securing means between the hinge sections 8 and 9.

Additional stop means are provided in my ladder for limiting the spread of the ladder sections I and 2, and this additional limit means includes the stop section 21 of the hinge casting or section 8 Which is cast parallel with the angled upper end 28 of the side members 3 of the ladder section 2 and provides an elongated large area limit stop extending for substantially the full length of the ends 21 of these side members 2.

The top plate or step supporting section I8 of the casting or hinge member 9 is also of elongated formation and extends for substantially the full Width of the top plate or step I9 and provides an elongated stop section 29 adapted to engage stop surface or section 21 to provide an additional stop to limit the spread of the ladder sections.

'I'he top step supporting section IS is cast of any desired width and extends beyond the side members 3 to provide a widened bearing surface 30 for the top step or plate l. This top step I9 may be secured to this widened bearing surface by any suitable form of fastening means as, for example, by means of bolts or screws 3|.

The strap members IU and l5 are secured to the side members 3 by means of a plurality of bolts 32 and at their lower ends by means of the cross rods 33 which form bearing surfaces for the upper step 34. The bolts and cross rods 33 are passed through bosses cast in the strap members along their length.

In assembling the ladder sect-ions, and when utilizing the hinge embodying my invention,the hinge members are held together first preferably by the bolts 24. They are then placed in position on the side members 3 and the bolts 32 and cross rods 33 are secured in position. W hen thus assembled it will be apparent from Figure 4 that the side members 3 of the ladder section 2 overlying the inner surface of the disc sections I1,v

thereby preventing separation of the two hinge sections 8 and 9. The hinge sections are thus held from separation and their pivotal action is around the integral boss 2U of the plate l1. Should the securing bolts 24 become loosened or lost, the ladder sections can not be separated.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the iull scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a ladder of the folding type including a pair of ladder sections, the combination of a pair of complementary hinged members having elongated strap sections secured to the opposite side members of the ladder sections, each hinged member having an integral disc section andthe integral disc sections of the pair of hinged members on each side of the ladder overlying one another, one of said disc members of each pair having a centrally disposed integral bearing boss adapted to fit within a bearing bore formed in the other disc section to provide a bearing pivot,

the disc sections having complementary cutoutV stop sections providing spaced stop shoulders adapted to limit pivotal movement of said sections around said boss and thereby limit opening movement of said ladder sections to a predetermined angle, said stop shoulders being olset on the same side of said one disc member as said bearing boss, whereby the said stop shoulders and bearing boss are similarly disposed with respect to a common plane perpendicular to the hinged axis, said ladder having a top plate thereon extending across the upper ends of both said ladder sections, and one of said hinged members having a top plate-supporting section lying under and secured to said top plate, and the other hinged member having a flat plate-supporting surface adapted to support one-half of said top plate when said ladder sections are in open position at said predetermined angle with respect to each other.

DONALD DE LUCA. 

